WHEEL VIGIL FOR HOMELESS DEATH AND CALL TO ACTION: Honoring Robert Joel Brown

From friends and mentors at SHARE/WHEEL’s Licton Springs Village, and now confirmed by the King County Medical Examiners, we learned that Robert Joel Brown, known as “Skittles,” 33, died by suicide at 50th/7th NE on October 11th.He was beloved in our community, and will be missed.

His is the 65th outdoor/violent homeless death of the year in King County—an absolute and shocking record.

From noon to 1 PM Wednesday, October 25th, we’ll stand vigil outside the Seattle Justice Center (5th/Cherry) to honor and remember “Skittles.”Our hearts are with his family and friends, and all who knew him.

Without shelter and housing, people die!PLEASE JOIN US IN CRYING OUT FOR JUSTICE.

For the past several Vigil notices, we’ve encouraged you to join our HOUSING FOR ALL—STOP THE SWEEPS CAMPAIGN!(Info at HousingForAllSeattle.org).Today, we ask you to help with a specific Action Item RIGHT NOW by writing/calling Seattle City Council in support of the innovative new HOMES plan.This progressive tax plan would raise up to $25M for much-needed shelter and housing by requiring the very large corporations that are impacting the housing crisis in Seattle to pay a tax of $100 on each employee.Councilmembers Mike O’Brien and Kirsten Harris-Talley proposed this plan last week; now the Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Seattle Association are trying to kibosh it.

Background:

**The tax would apply only to businesses with gross revenue of $5 million or more per year. 90% of Seattle businesses would not be affected at all.

**The tax amount is figured on the number of full-time-equivalent employees. O'Brien and Harris-Talley have proposed $100 per FTE per year.

**It’s expected to generate around $25 million per year in new revenue.

**These uses of generated tax income have been proposed:$18 million for housing, and $7 million to expand 24-hour shelter options like Navigation Centers and tiny house villages; provide better services/parking options for people living in vehicles; and expand the successful LEAD (Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion) program.

Please take a moment to email the City Council right now in support of the HOMES tax proposal, and encourage your contacts to do so to.Help us show Councilmembers that Seattleites support progressive taxes and real solutions to the homelessness state of emergency: